The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Volume 45: Issue 68
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Ndsmcobserver.com
McCormick announces charity concert Abroad By SAM STRYKER News Editor
Saint Patrick’s Day is commonly perceived as a celebration of all things Irish, a reason to drink Guinness and wear green. But student body president Pat McCormick wants to remind the world of the true meaning of the holiday — and in a big way. Looking to deliver on one of their major campaign goals — to bring a large charity concert to Notre Dame Stadium — McCormick said David Clark Cause (DCC), an internationally renowned events company, has worked with the University to create a proposal for a major social concerns experience. The event is tentatively titled “3.17,” in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. Though the University first received a letter proposing to develop such an event from DCC in May, McCormick said a firm outline developed over winter break. “This has been [a result] of months and months of contact,” McCormick said. “We
students ret u r n
have submitted a proposal to the University and so far the response has been very positive.” The concept of the event is centered on “reclaiming” Saint Patrick’s Day as a celebration of peace and reconciliation, and would be held in partnership with the Republic of Ireland. “The Irish government has an interest in trying to direct attention to the day itself as not just a celebration of Ireland, but Saint Patrick and trying to draw out what that means,” McCormick said. To focus on the themes of peace and reconciliation, McCormick said the proposed 3.17 event would have three components. The centerpiece event would be what McCormick had promised as a major aspect of his campaign platform, a largescale charity concert. The 3.17 Global Peace Concert, broadcast from Notre Dame and a venue in Dublin, Ireland. McCormick said renowned bands
By NICOLE TOCZAUER News Writer
Juniors who studied abroad in the fall left behind afternoon siestas, weekend trips and sunny weather to return to a snowy semester at Notre Dame. For many of these students, a large aspect of the study abroad experience was learning outside the classroom. Junior Carl Brinker said when he arrived in Dublin, Ireland, the cultural divide was not as great as he expected. “There were definitely things to get used to — the accent, cars on the other side of the road, learning the bus system — but ultimately I had more in common with my Irish peers than I thought I would,” Brinker said. “We listened to a lot of the same music, watched the same TV shows and spoke mostly the same language.”
see CONCERT/page 6
LISA HOEYNCK I The Observerr
see ABROAD/page 5
Fans enjoy bowl game despite loss to Florida State By DAN BROMBACH News Writer
A day f illed with excitement and warm weather was capped with stunning disappointment for Notre Dame fans as the Irish fell to Florida State, 18-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla. on Dec. 29. Despite a sizeable presence of Notre Dame fans, the proximity of the game to the Florida State campus in Tallahassee, Fla. gave the Semi-
noles an advantage on the f ield, freshman Taylor Gillig, who attended the game, said. “It still felt like a Florida State home game at times,” Gillig said. “Our team def initely managed to take the FSU fans out of it early on, but as the momentum shifted in the second half they made it pretty obvious that we were outnumbered.” A fter the Irish took a 14-0 lead early in the third quar
see REACTION/page 6
COURTNEY ECKERLE / The Observer
Notre Dame fans cheer on the Irish during their 18 - 14 loss to Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 29. The atmosphere was exciting despite the Irish defeat.
Notre Dame early application pool remains competitive By ABI HOVERMAN News Writer
LISA HOEYNCK I The Observer
Inside today’s paper
For high school students hoping to walk Notre Dame’s campus as one of the Fighting Irish, the realization of their dreams continues to get more difficult. This year’s Early Action applicant pool continued Notre Dame’s trend of increased academic and personal excellence, with 300 more prospective students applying than the year before. Don Bishop, associate vice president for Undergraduate
Enrollment, said the selection was even more competitive for the larger pool of 5,556 applicants, who were notified of their status Dec. 15. The University accepted and deferred a similar number to last year, and thus had to decline more prospective students a spot. Bishop credits the 6 percent increase in applications to the University’s more personalized and rigorous recruitment efforts, including a redesigned viewbook and brochure materials, along with an updated website. He said Notre Dame focused on these efforts in re-
sponse to a trend of top universities increasingly courting potential students. “We have increased our interaction with interested students and their parents. The staff, faculty, students and alumni in local areas are more active. It’s been a team effort,” Bishop said. “Notre Dame’s increase of recruitment was not only something that we wanted, but something that was necessary to make the admissions experience more personal for the prospective
see EARLY/page 5
Alternative winter breaks page 3 u Viewpoint page 8 u Best dressed at the Golden Globes page 10 u Swarbrick discusses athletic department page 20